1994–95 Washington Capitals season


The 1994–95 Washington Capitals season was the team's 21st season of play. After stumbling to a 3–10–5 record by February 28, the Capitals caught a break in bringing up 20-year-old rookie goaltender Jim Carey from the Portland Pirates for their March 2 game against the New York Islanders. The Capitals edged the Islanders 4–3 and Carey made 21 saves. Carey would finish his rookie season with an impressive 18–6–3 record, a 2.13 goals against average and four shutouts. With the help of Carey's superb goaltending, Washington would go on to win 19 of their final 30 games and finish in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, with a 22–18–8 record for 52 points. Peter Bondra had an excellent season, leading all NHL skaters in goals and shorthanded goals.

Off-season

Regular season

The Capitals tied the Buffalo Sabres for the most short-handed goals scored and tied the St. Louis Blues for the fewest short-handed goals allowed during the regular season.

Final standings

Schedule and results

Playoffs

In the first round of the playoffs, the Capitals faced their old rivals from 1991, 1992 and 1994, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington had defeated Pittsburgh in the first round one year earlier and were hoping to do the same in 1995. The series started out well for the Capitals, as they defeated the Penguins 5-4 in the opening game. In Game 2, Washington held a 3–1 lead after two periods, but Pittsburgh scored four times in the third period to win 5–3 and tie the series at 1–1. Washington won Games 3 and 4 at home by identical scores of 6–2. The two teams skated to a 5–5 tie in Game 5, and with just 4:30 into the first overtime period, Luc Robitaille scored his fourth of the playoffs to keep the Penguins alive in the series. Peter Bondra, Dale Hunter, Jaromir Jagr and Kevin Stevens each scored twice in the game. Leading three games to two, the Capitals had a chance to eliminate the Penguins on home ice in Game 6, but goaltender Jim Carey struggled, allowing six goals on just 13 shots. Washington got only one shot past Pittsburgh goaltender Ken Wregget, who made 30 saves. The Penguins went on to win the game 7–1 and tied the series at three games apiece. Jaromir Jagr, Luc Robitaille and Tomas Sandstrom each scored twice. In Game 7, Carey played better than he had in Game 6, stopping 15 of 17 shots, but Ken Wregget was solid again and stopped all 33 Washington shots to get the shutout. Troy Murray would add an empty-net goal to give Pittsburgh a 3–0 win and the series victory, four games to three. It was the second time in four years that the Penguins had defeated the Capitals after trailing 3–1 in a playoff series.

Player statistics

Regular season

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
RW47349432491263
C44538438-1300
C46102333503422
D465263135-6402
LW/C48121426410802
LW46111425447333
LW4810132365201
C4581523101-4301
RW401462065-2104
D4751419532102
D4701313436000
D42391271-5201
C29459102020
D31257224000
D481679710000
LW43246173-5000
RW3206696-6000
D23314412000
C/LW1313482000
C1804412-6000
C122136-3200
RW821323000
D160336-3000
C27112102-6001
C101012-2000
G801120000
D301123000
LW200020000
G2800000000
G400000000
G1400040000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLTGAGAASOSASVSV%
1604281863572.134654597.913
72414282302.490305275.902
1874111113.5308069.863
3948132162.440147131.891
Team:290948221881142.35411861072.904

Playoffs

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIMPPGSHGGWG
RW753810201
C744824200
RW744822100
C72682000
LW725712010
LW/C71450000
C714521000
D73140100
D72242001
D71342000
LW70334000
C/LW70224000
D70228000
RW310117001
LW700029000
G70004000
G10000000
C500036000
D70004000
G20000000
C20000000
D70002000
D10002000
D20004000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLGAGAASOSASVSV%
358724254.190151126.834
4421011.3602120.952
2010013.00032.667
Team:422734273.840175148.846

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals

MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; SO = Shutouts; SA=Shots Against; SV=Shots saved; SV% = Save Percentage;

Awards and records

Transactions

Roster

Draft picks

Washington's draft picks at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft held at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
Round#PlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
110Nolan BaumgartnerKamloops Blazers
115Alexander KharlamovCSKA Moscow
241Scott CherreyNorth Bay Centennials
493Matt HerrThe Hotchkiss School
5119Yanick JeanChicoutimi Sagueneens
6145Dmitri MekeshkinAvangard Omsk
7171Dan RejaLondon Knights
8197Chris PatrickKent School
9223John TuohySouth Kent School
10249Richard ZednikBanska Bystrica
11275Sergei TertyshnyTraktor Chelyabinsk

Farm teams